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The Miami Heat and Goran Dragic have agreed to a five-year deal worth $90 million, according to a report from Marc Stein of ESPN. The total value of the deal may wind up closer to $85 million, according to The Associated Press.
And with that, most of the core from last year's non-playoff team will return. Dwyane Wade's status as an unrestricted free agent still hangs over the Heat, but with Dragic and Luol Deng back in the fold, Chris Bosh nearing a return to health, and No. 10 pick Justise Winslow incoming, Pat Riley has to be feeling confident.
Dragic's deal is reasonable, albeit one that may not age that well. The contract is for about $18 million less than the theoretical maximum, which Dragic was originally believed to be seeking, and in a rising cap environment, $18 million annually may prove a value. It's perhaps a slight discount and gives the Heat precious additional flexibility to re-sign Wade.
But Dragic is already 29, and this deal will pay him handsomely up until age 34. Should Dragic continue to perform at a high level, he'll have the chance to opt-out of the deal and re-enter free agency in a more fortuitous salary cap environment in 2019, as the fifth year on his deal is a player option.
Both the Heat and Dragic had maintained that they wanted to continue their relationship, which began at the trade deadline when the Heat surrendered a pair of future first-round picks to land him. While it didn't quite work out for 2014-15 thanks to myriad injuries, the Heat have an intriguing roster moving forward if Wade returns, and Dragic is a major part of that.
One of the league's best finishing point guards and a steady outside shooter, Dragic would have stood as the best point guard available on the market. He averaged 16.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 5.3 assists after landing in Miami, shooting 50.2 percent from the floor and 70 percent at the rim.
Dragic is on record as preferring the team play faster next season, as the Heat finished second-last in fast-break points and pace. Pushing the tempo may not suit some pieces of the roster, but it's a good way to get the most out of Dragic's open-court vision, and Winslow and Hassan Whiteside are nice tools on the break.
